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Phiah
Currency: Tiels Demographic: 98% human (68% Phiran, 30% Coxish), 2% other Government: Corporatocracy/Military State Capital/Main Port: Daut Phiah is a small one nation island located under Central City. They are a member of Central City, though have managed to remain independent of any of the empires existing at the time. Ecology Climate The island tends to have a semitropical climate with lot of hills supporting swamps between the hills, most towns and villages being built on hills. With over crowding however, some people have had to move into the swamps. The weather is sunny around 60% of the time, mostly during the humid summers. The winters tend to be sort and mild. The falls tend to be quite windy, but not as wet. Wild Life Wildlife tends to remain closer to the swampland for the most part, but there are some species that have adapted to the cities, mostly the introduced species such as rats and pigeons. However, deer tend to wander closer to the city in the spring as well as lizards, frogs, hares, raccoons, ducks, cranes and squirrels. Wild creatures rarely seen in the city are beavers, griffins, muskrats, salamanders, leeches, bears and alligators. Various kinds of bugs exist and can be found both in and outside of the city, including dragonflies, worms, mosquitoes, pond strider and snails. A peculiar defect has left several deer in the area with a teal color to their coat. Many people theorize a wizard is to blame, but the real source and purpose still eludes most scientists. Magic Magic on Phiah is generally scarce, excluding the Zalt family. Most practitioners with a marketable (and generally legal) skill tend to leave for Central City and Shelby as soon as they can. Some people remain, though tend to be treated with curiosity and scandal. It's population tends to be lacking in much talent for most magical practices thanks to this. Government The government is split into two wings, the monetary wing and the military wing. Both wings have their own hierarchies and their own set of rules for who can do what, though the monetary wing tends to handle local problems while the military wing handles international problems. It's rather well known that there is quite a bit of corruption in the ranks thanks to the predatory nature of the system, giving an advantage to communism to get an almost immediate following. Monetary Wing A relic left over from their occupation by Coxish forces, the monetary wing is split into ranks. It's current incarnation was created only a generation ago to try and prevent an uprising from businessmen and commoners. Not owning land a business or a product nullifies a title, though it is possible for nobility or any people of any other island to have a Priah title as well. Baron: In charge of 10 home steads or 3 businesses. Viscount: In charge of 8 barons Earl: In charge of 5 viscounts of a county Marquis: In charge of 10 Earls Duke: In charge of 10 Marquis King: In charge of 10 Dukes Military Wing The much older of the two branches, the military wing comes from an older age of internal conflict between local villages and cities. After their initial introduction to the other Islands of Icarus, the islanders were quick to band together under one warlord in fear of invasions. This wing is split into only two branches, the Air Force and the Ground Force. The Air Force tends to get quite a bit more funding and influence in external matters, mostly due to their Griffin Knights and their influence. Legality In Phiah, all magic is legal. However, using magic to affect a noble in any sort of way, even among other nobles, is highly illegal and can result in execution. Magic is perfectly acceptable as a form of evidence against an accused as long as it is not used against a noble. The legal process tends to be overseen by the local Viscount, unless it is a dire crime in which it moves up in ranks until it is overseen by the king. The trial usually only lasts a day, in which the accuser presents his evidence to the lord and the defendant tries to disprove it. There is no representation from lawyers. Entertainment Durvla Theater While not particularly famous or well known among off islanders, Phiah holds a rather impressive theater. While it has been a gathering place for the arts and a show case for both plays and opera for centuries, in recent years it has fallen on hard times thanks to the introduction of pulp magazines and phonographs. Kitchen Court Around 60 years ago, a peculiar set of events unfolded. A mysterious man who called himself the Chairman opened a large building, a giant kitchen of sorts. It was a stage, a show similar to a theater except with cooking. At first the entire notion was ridiculed, though slowly locals warmed up to the thought after a few shows. Now this strange arena has become a local attraction and pride, an event they take very seriously. It was a cook off, a competition among chefs for the prestigious title of Master Chef. The competition starts off with two chefs going against one another who all must prepare a three course meal using a secret ingredient selected before the competition. They have one hour to complete their meal using only what they can find in the kitchen. They may have a staff as big or as small as they want. Once the food is prepared, they have three judges there to decide who's dish is better, the reigning champion or the challenger. Now the competition is still going on, keeping three reigning champions. Their announcer, Alton Gray, is quite well known among the Kitchen Court circles. Cuisine Phian food tends to be stewed or barbequed. In most of its incarnations. their food is quite heavy on fish, crawfish, rise, onion, celery and pepper. The People Phians tend to be on the shorter side of the height spectrum, averaging to 5'2" for women, 5'4" for men. They tend to have more round faces and light skin color with hair ranging from brown to black and eyes ranging from violet to black to blue. More often than not they cannot grow a good beard and tend to go for mustaches. Attitudes Toward Coxish The Coxish are tolerated, though most who are Coxish tend to be teased but not persecuted. The term cokx has become an insult on this island. There is a small movement to try and preserve local traditions and avoid any further spread from outside perspectives, though this movement is weak both politically and socially. Coxish nobility is extended the pleasantries and class of their rank but they lack the ability to sentence a person under Priah law. Attitudes Toward Non-Humans Most people of the island are human, so more often than not they tend not to have much sympathy for non-humans, especially the griffins.